Coin controlled game



Oct. 17, 1939. L. sTRAsH COIN CONTROLLED GAME 4 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1933 Oct. 17, 1939. s s 2,176,110

COIN CONTRQLLED GLUE Filed Dec. 22, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ORNEY.

. LEWIS sTEAsH Oct. 17,1939.

L. STRASH 2,176,110

COIN CONTROLLED GAME Filed Dec. 22, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 LEW 1 5 STEASH INVENTOR.

Oct. 17, 1939. r L. STRASH 2,176,110

COIN CONTROLLED GAME Filed Dec. 22, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 ag 45' 57 BL 3 if 13" 5% 92 ,9, five/2301': Lewis 53ml? Patented Oct. 17, 1939 COIN CONTROLLED GAME Lewis Strash, Mays Landing, N. J., assignor to Raymond Jones, Washington, D. C.

Application December 22, 1933, Serial No. 703.645

12 Claims.

My invention relates to a coin-controlled game, and more particularly to a game device wherein a plate bearing symbols designating the various ones of a deck of playing cards is ar- 5, ranged to be rotated by means of a motor and is associated with a series of indicator elements adapted, by chance, to select a predetermined number of cards to simulate a hand.

The main object of my invention is to provide an automatic means, operable upon the deposit of a coin, for controlling a chance wheel in a manner to simulate a well known form of card deal.

Another object is to provide, in novel and attractive manner, a combination of serving table and chance game, as well as a novel attachment between leg and top portions of such tables.

Another object is to provide a coin control associated with a motor for driving a chance wheel in a manner to permit an automatic operation of the wheel for each coin deposited.

A further object is to provide a coin control wherein the coins deposited remain visible for the purpose of inspection thereof.

Other objects will be apparent from the accompanying specification and drawings forming a part thereof and wherein- Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a unitar serving table and chance game;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the central portion of the table top showing the game device;

Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation, partly in sec-' tion, with parts broken away, showingthe unitary game and coin control device;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, with parts broken away, showing the fame device and details thereof;

Fig. 5 is a view, partly'in section, looking upwardly towards the central lower portion of the table top;

Fig. dis a view, partly in section, with parts broken away, showing in side elevation the relative positions of parts of the game device;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view on line I-l of Fig. 9;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-3 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 shows a side view of the coin control device; 7

Fig. 10 shows a schematic layout of the electrical circuits involved;

Fig. 11 shows a modified detail; and

Fig. 12 shows a modification wherein an electric motor operates the game device in response to closure by hand of the motor circuit.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a serving table is shown comprising a top I, formed prefer- 55 ably from wood, and a plurality of legs 2 formed,

preferably, from tubular metal stock and detachably secured to the top I in a manner to be described. A brace means 3 is secured adjacent the lower ends of the legs 2 and the upper ends thereof are secured, preferably by Welding, to a ring member 4.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the top I and legs 2 are detachably secured together by means of a series of angle brackets 5, the horizontal portions of which are secured to the under side of the top I by means of screws 6. The vertical portions of brackets 5 are inserted to extend downwardly within the open tops of the legs 2 and are secured thereto by means of a hand operable screw 1 which extends through threaded openings in both the ring 4 and leg 2 and threadably engages the vertical portion of the bracket 5 in a manner to hold the top I firmly upon the legs 2. A plate 9 secured to each leg 2 is arranged to abut flush with an adjacent bracket 5. If desired, as shown in Fig. 11, the plate 9 may be made as long as the horizontal portion of the bracket 5 so as to cover the screws 6 to prevent removal of same, thereby preventing removal of top I from legs 2 except by turning screws 1.

The game device is assembled as a unit together with the driving motor and coin control device and this unit is detachably secured within an opening in the table top. As shown in Fig. 3, this unit comprises a main supporting frame or plate I 0 to which the stator of the driving motor is secured. The coin control mechanism I2 is secured to frame ID by screws l3. A ring l4, preferably of brass, is secured to the top I by screws II, and this ring carries a series of lateral lugs l5. The frame or plate It), at its periphery, is formed with a series of lugs l6 corresponding in numberto lugs I5. The game unit is secured to the top I by engaging lugs l6 over the lugs l5 with a relative rotation of these lugs and a screw ll threaded through each lug l5 serves to engage and lock the lugs l6 against'rotation;

A glass cover plate "3 is positioned within the ring M to cover and serve as a window for the game device positioned thereunder. A series of indicia groups 18 are arranged under glass plate l8 which may be used to complete scores according to the rules of the game, for example, winning hands of cards and decorative designs may take the place of indicia H3 or be shown therewith. The motor l9 and spinner plate 20 are mounted as a unit "upon the main plate It! with the spinner plate positioned within a concave recess in the main plate l0, and the former is mounted on the upper end of the motor shaft 2|, a thrust bearing 22 being provided to carry the load of the spinner plate and the motor armature. A pair of centrifugally operated members 23 is pivotally mountedon a collar 23' secured to shaft 2|, and are adapted to move outwardly to contact a metal cup 24 against the tension of a spring 25 in a manner to complete an electrical circuit after the motor attains its maximum speed and for a purpose to be described. The motor frame [9 and cup 24 are insulated from the plate by means of fibre plates 24', thereby permitting cup 24 to serve as one terminal ofthe circuit that includes switch members 23-24. The plate 20 is marked, as shown in Fig. 2, to indicate all cards, grouped by their suits, of a card deck. A series of holes or depressions 26 are formed in the plate 29 and a series of metallic or glass balls 21, preferably five, are carried loosely onthe plate 20 within a concave channel in a manner to be displaced by the spinning action to be caught by chance within the holes or depressions 26. These balls, when so displaced, move outwardly as well as with the plate 20 and are permitted to roll around on a concave surface 26 on plate Ill in a manner to prevent excessive wear on the plate [0.

A casing 28 is secured within the ring 4 and serves to enclose the parts and receive the coins deposited. A door 29 is provided in this casing to permit access to these coins as well as permit an attendant to reach therein to operate the screws 1 to detach top i from legs 2. A detent 30 on the door retains the door at its lower end and a lock 3| is applied at the top of this door. The frame for the door 29 is indicated at 32.

The coin control unit i2 is shown in detail in Figs. 7 to 9 and comprises an upper supporting plate or block 33 to be attached by the screws l3 to the main plate I0. To each side of the block 33 is secured, by rivets 35, an insulating fibre plate 36 and a glass plate 31 is secured to the plates 36 by means of rivets 38. A glass window 31' in casing 28 permits an attendant to view through plate 31 each coin deposited. A pair of solenoids 39--39' is secured between the fibre plates 36 by being mounted on frames 40 which are secured to these plates and extend rearwardly to support the rear ends of these solenoids. A coin chute 4|, formed of fibre, is attached to and between the frames 40 in a manner to insulate the coins from certain metallic parts. An armature 42 is pivotally mounted at its upper end at 43 in front of each solenoid. The upper armature carries a forwardly extending coin supporting pin 44 and a similar pin 45 is fixed to the lower armature and for a purpose to be described. One side of the coil chute 4| is cut away at 46 opposite each armature to permit a coin to rest at one side thereof on a fiat corner 41 of a metallic contact block 48 and at its other side on one of the pins 44 or 45. The block 48 is insulated from all other metallic parts and forms one side of the motor circuit while the other side of the motor circuit is connected or grounded to armature 42. A current conductor 49-49 leads from each solenoid and is grounded to a respective armature. A spring 50 is adapted to yieldably retain each armature spaced from its solenoid. A coin slot is cut through the ring M in line with the coin chute 4!. In Fig. 6, certain of the conductors are indicated in dotted lines leading from line terminal and fuse block 5|. Figure 10, however, shows a complete wiring diagram for the cooperating elements.

In the operation of my novel coin-controlled chance game, the casual operator thereof, usually a customer being served at the table I, will insert a coin in the coin slot 5i, which coin will drop through the fibre walled coin chute 4| until it comes to rest on the upper pair of circuit controlling contacts which are the upper block 48 and upper pin 44. Referring to the conventional schematic circuit and apparatus layout in Fig. a circuit will be established from terminal 52 of the source of current supply through conductors 53 and 49 and through the deposited coin 54 shown as bridging the contact block 48 and pin 44 and thence through armature of motor l9 back through conductor 55 to line terminal 56.

It will be noted that the lower solenoid coil 39 is shunted around the terminals of the motor l9. While one coil 54 is being deposited, another coin remains in place on lower block 43 and lower pin 45. As soon, however, as the motor is started by deposit of coin 54, the voltage across the motor builds up and energizes solenoid 39', the circuit being from the motor through line 58, solenoid 39' across pin 45, coin 51, and block 48 and back to the motor. The voltage thereby impressed is substantially full line voltage. Hence, solenoid 39' will pull up its armature 42 and pin 45 and the lower coin 51 will drop into the casing 28 since the pin 45 has moved back out of the coin path. The motor having been started by coin 54 soon speeds up and at full speed causes centrifugal weight 23 to move out to strike contact cup 24 and its displaced position is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10 in a conventional way. At this instant, solenoid 39 is energized to drop coin 54 from the upper pin 44 to stop the motor. The energization circuit for solenoid 39 is from line 52 through conductor 53, coil of 39, across 2324 and through line 58 back to line 56. Armature 42 and attached pin 44 will be pulled in permitting the coin 54 to drop until it rests on the lower block 48 and pin 45. As soon as coin 54 drops, the motor stops and the apparatus is ready for another operation. After the motor stops, the coin just deposited becomes visible through the glass plate 31 in position on lower pin 45.

Each operation of the motor causes spinner plate to rotate at a relatively high speed whereby the balls 21 resting in holes or depressions 26 are displaced to new positions since their inertia causes them to whirl around and lag behind as the plate 20 speeds up. Each new position of these balls indicates a new or different hand of cards and the device can be used as a game in a manner to simulate closely a well known game of poker.

Since the entire device is mounted centrally of a serving table and in an attractive manner and being readily accessible to customers, it will be used more frequently than other chance games whereby a greater profit will be derived by the owner of the device.

While I have shown my game device as driven by an electric motor and in a preferred form and manner by coin control, the game device might well be driven, in another form, by hand or by a motor, the circuit of which is closable by a hand switch, and I consider the game features per se to be novel and a part of my invention. A modified form of game drive is shown in Fig. 12 wherein the spinner plate is operated by a manually controlled motor in lieu of a coin control. A hand switch 58 pivoted at 59 is movable against a stop contact 60 and held there by a friction brake 6| to permit rotation of the motor l9 which, in turn, causes centrifugal switch 23 to close a circuit to a solenoid 62. Solenoid 62 becomes energized to pull over armature 63 integral with switch 58, and open switch 58 to stop the motor.

What I claim is:

1. In a coin-controlled device, a rotatably mounted longitudinally arranged plate, a motor operably connected to said plate, a circuit to said motor, means operably responsive to deposit of a coin for closing said circuit to start the motor, and means operably responsive to a predetermined speed of the motor for breaking said circuit to stop the motor.

2. In a coin controlled chance game, a plate, indicia on said plate, an indicator supported on said plate, means for rotatably supporting said plate and indicator in a horizontal plane, a motor having a shaft, said plate being mounted directly on said shaft, a circuit to said motor, a detent, means operably responsive to deposit of a coin on said detent to close said circuit to start the motor, and means operably responsive to a predetermined speed of operation of the motor for breaking said circuit to stop the motor and simultaneously releasing the coin from the detent.

3. In a coin-controlled device, a rotatably mounted plate, a motor operably connected to said plate, a circuit to said motor, a coin detent, means operably responsive to deposit of a coin on said detent for closing'the circuit to start the motor, and means operably responsive to a predetermined speed of the motor for simultaneously breaking said circuit to stop the motor and releasing the coin from its position on the detent.

4. In a coin-controlled game, a rotatably mounted member, a motor operably connected to said member, a circuit to said motor, means operably responsive to deposit of a coin for closing said circuit to start the motor, means operably responsive to operation of the motor for opening said circuit to stop the motor and simultaneously causing said coin to move to a second position, said first-named means being again operably responsive to deposit of a second coin for re-starting said motor and means responsive to the deposit of the second coin for releasing the first deposited coin and causing it to move away from its second-named position.

5. In a device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the rotatably mounted member is provided with indicia and an indicator movable relatively to said member to provide a chance indication.

6. In a coin-controlled chance game, a table top, a game plate rotatably supported centrally of said top, a motor operably connected to said plate, a circuit to said motor, a coin chute, means operably responsive to deposit of a coin in said chute for closing said circuit to start the motor, and means operably responsive to operation of the motor only at a predetermined speed for opening said circuit to stop the motor.

7. In a device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for opening the motor circuit comprises a contact member movable by the motor, said member being displaceably mounted, and means operably responsive to displacement of said member by rotation of the motor for opening the motor circuit to stop the motor.

8. In a device as set forth in claim 6, means for holding the deposited coin in one position prior to stopping the motor and for releasing the coin during the period of stopping of the motor, means for holding the coin in a second and displaced position, and means for releasing said coin from its second position upon the deposit of a second coin in the coin chute.

9. In a device as set forth in claim 6, a pair of contacts in the motor circuit adapted to be bridged by the deposited coin, one of said contacts being movably mounted and arranged to provide a detent for the coin, a solenoid operably associated with said movable contact, and means for energizing said solenoid to move said last-named contact to release the coin when the motor has reached a predetermined speed.

10. In a coin-controlled chance game, a game device comprising a rotary plate, a motor for rotating said plate, a circuit to said motor, a coin chute, contacts in said circuit and positioned in line with said chute, one of said contacts being movably mounted and positioned to support a deposited coin in position to bridge both contacts to close said circuit, a solenoid for moving said movable contact, a separate circuit for said solenoid, and means operably responsive to rotation of the motor for closing the solenoid circuit to energize the solenoid and move said last-named contact to permit the deposited coin to move out of its contact bridging position.

11. In a chance game, a plate, indicia on said plate, an indicator associated with said plate, means for supporting said plate and indicator to permit relative motion therebetween, a motor operably associated with said plate and indicator to cause relative motion therebetween, a circuit to said motor, cooperating normally open contacts in said circuit whereby completion of said circuit by bridging of said contacts is effective to start the motor, and means responsive to operation of the motor only at a predetermined speed for opening the circuit to stop the motor.

12. In a device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means for opening the motor circuit comprises a member pivotally mounted on the motor, said member being displaceable by centrifugal force, and means associated therewith for opening the motor circuit upon displacement of said member.

LEWIS STRASI-I. 

